Researchers are continuing that tradition by designing robots to work in a deep-space habitat tending gardens and growing food for astronaut explorers.
and a fluid delivery system that can provide fresh water or water with nutrients. Larsen explains that the system could be operated remotely
If an astronaut requests tomatoes for a salad the system decides which specific plants have the ripest tomatoes
The team's project will focus on designing a Deployable Greenhouse for Food Production for deep-space missions.
The provision of food in space proved popular the focus of four studies. Students from Riebli Elementary and Mark West Charter School in California examine
whether Triops longicaudatus or tadpole shrimp could be grown in microgravity as a food source for long-term missions.
Yeast fermentation On earth is used to produce alcohol which could be used as antiseptics or in food production in space.
A study by Murray Hill Middle school in Maryland investigates the effects of microgravity on microencapsulation a process that could be used to help control the rate at
and Math High school in New york. Their investigation of the effect of microgravity on the growth of mold on white bread will show the amount of mold present in dust on the station and the ground.
and those who had used ever alcohol marijuana or other illicit substances were more likely to use hookah.
Right now it appears that a lot of hookah use is used more ritualistic occasionally--for example in hookah bars
#which is designed to apply basic research on plants to sustainable food and biofuel production. â#oeour research is aimed at understanding the fundamental mechanisms
Working in a tiny mustard plant called Arabidopsis which is used as a genetic model and shares many of the same genes as other plants and crops he and his team of biologists discovered that the proteins encoded by the four genes they discovered repress the development of stomata at elevated CO2 levels.
After introducing a gene from oregano the transformed maize plants released E-Î-caryophyllene constantly.
#Payback time for soil carbon from pasture conversion to sugarcane productionthe reduction of soil carbon stock caused by the conversion of pasture areas into sugarcane plantations--a very common change in Brazil in recent
The study indicates that the soil carbon balance of pasture areas converted for the cultivation of sugarcane designed for ethanol production is not as negative as originally estimated said Carlos Clemente Cerri project coordinator and researcher at CENA.
According to Cerri soil from pasture areas has a carbon stock whose volume varies only slightly over the years.
These reference areas included pastures annual cropland (soybean sorghum and corn) and Cerrado native vegetation.
More than 70%of this land consisted of pastures and 25%had been used for growing grains said the study's researchers.
and control in Great britain demonstrated that the majority of herd outbreaks are caused by multiple transmissions routes--including failed cattle infection tests cattle movement and reinfection from environmental reservoirs (infected pastures and wildlife).
Our model offers a dispassionate unbiased view of the spread of btb through the cattle industry of Great Britain says model co-author Professor Matthew Keeling from Warwick's School of Life sciences and Department of mathematics.
Imperfect cattle skin tests contribute to the spread by delaying the time until infected herds are detected for the first time
The researchers from the Australian Centre for Plant Functional genomics at the University of Adelaide's Waite campus within the University's School of Agriculture Food and Wine say that in soils where boron toxicity is reducing yields genetic improvement
It turns out it was at least partially because of the food. The researchers used stable isotope analysis a chemical assay of a tissue biopsy that provides an integrative view of what the animal ate in previous months.
This discovery that lagoons can contribute such an important amount of food and energy to manta rays highlights the need to motivate management interventions in lagoons.
The discussion Putz said needs to center on the definition of â#oeforest. â#The Food
#Food allergies: A new, simple method to track down allergensalthough food allergies are common sufferers often don't know exactly what in foods cause their allergic reactions.
This knowledge could help develop customized therapies like training the body's immune system to respond to certain proteins found in foods.
However determining which protein in a food causes an allergic response to a patient requires time-consuming tests that often ignore rare or unexpected allergens.
Publishing in Analytical Chemistry EPFL scientists have developed a highly sensitive method that can quickly and accurately identify the culprit proteins even at very low concentrations.
Food allergies are becoming widespread in the Western world today affecting around 6-8%of children and about 3%of adults.
when the body's immune system mistakes a harmless food protein for a threat and attacks it as it would normally do with a bacterium or a virus. This causes symptoms like swelling rashes pain and even life-threatening anaphylactic shocks.
and drinking milk although some outgrow the allergy by six years of age. Allergies including food allergies are caused
when our immune system produces antibodies to destroy enemy molecules like those from bacteria and viruses.
but that does not tell them which one of the numerous proteins in milk--and other foods--is causing the allergic response.
The method offers a personalized way to identify the exact proteins that can cause food allergies to a patient which can help develop an effective treatment.
This also means that the method can be extended beyond milk to other foods like nuts and wheat products.
The period following birth can be a challenging time for young lambs. They are docked usually tail without analgesia as a preventative measure to reduce the chances of flies laying eggs on dirty tails
and they may also experience bacterial infections such as'joint ill'or'navel ill'.'However the long-term consequences of these early life challenges are understood not well.
when giving birth to their own first lambs than did had females who not had these early-life experiences.
Furthermore the lambs of those mothers who had experienced a mild infection in early life were less sensitive to pain during the first few days of their lives than were other lambs.
Scientists at the University of Sydney Australia have discovered that locusts choose their food and then where they digest it according to how hot it is.
Dr Fiona Clissold who led the study explains why temperature has such a large influence on insect diets.
As a result nutrient availability at a given temperature varies between different plant species. A plant can be a poor quality diet at one temperature and a good quality diet at another.
The first Kangaroo grass gives a high protein diet at high temperatures and a high carbohydrate diet at low temperatures.
but locusts are able to absorb the nutrients more effectively at higher temperatures. Consequently locusts raised on Kangaroo grass reach a larger size at low temperatures
Intriguingly when both plants are available the locusts modify their behaviour to get the maximum benefit from the nutrients on offer.
After eating locusts sit for 30-40 minutes to digest their meal before feeding again.
Following a meal of Kangaroo grass the locusts seek shady places such as behind grass stalks
however the locusts sit in warmer areas to ensure a protein-rich meal. Dr Clissold adds Being small insects can take advantage of the multitude of microclimates available.
As mammals are warm-blooded animals that maintain a constant body temperature it is unlikely that temperature overtly affects the nutrient quality of their diets.
Our study indicates that incorporating legumes such as beans peas soybeans peanuts and lentils that have a higher proportion of nitrogen in its biomass can accelerate the storage of carbon in soils Tharayil said.
Food labelling study underwaypeople munching popcorn in a cinema don't change their eating habits whether the snacks are labelled high fat low fat
But add in a third factor--the socioeconomic background of eaters--and some quirky results emerge.
When concerned eaters of higher status saw the low fat label it made them eat more than their unconcerned counterparts.
Nutritional labelling is being advocated by policy makers internationally as a means to promote healthy eating but there has been very little research assessing the impact of labelling on eating behaviour in the general population.
This research is important as it suggests that nutritional labelling may help people who want to lose weight from lower socioeconomic groups to eat more healthily.
and were offered a large tub of salted or toffee popcorn. Participants received their selected flavour with one of three labels:
#Foodborne bacteria can cause disease in some breeds of chickens after allcontrary to popular belief the foodborne pathogen Campylobacter jejuni is not a harmless commensal in chickens
The main implication is that Campylobacter is not always harmless to chickens. This rather changes our view of the biology of this nasty little bug says Paul Wigley of Institute for Infection and Global Health at the University of Liverpool an author on the study.
and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimate it affects approximately 1 3 million people per year in the United states. Chicken is the most common source of infections.
Infection of chickens had previously not been considered to cause disease and the bacteria were thought to be part of the normal microbiota of the birds.
In the study Wigley and his colleagues experimentally infected birds from four commercial breeds of broiler chickens.
This suggests that chicken breed has little direct effect on the risk of Campylobacter entering the food chain
The most important finding says Wigley is that Campylobacter infection directly impacts broiler chicken health and welfare.
The United states produces over 8 billion broiler chickens per year and the United kingdom produces nearly a billion.
On the positive side we now know that chickens produce a robust immune response to infection
and agricultural crops plants are being subjected to higher levels of soluble salts which can ultimately cause salt stress in plants.
and high evapotranspiration while in northern regions it is caused by deicing salts. Increasing soil salinity negatively affects plant growth
'Cecile Brunner''Else Poulsen''Madame Antoine Mari''Perle d'Or''Spice'and'Souvenir de St anne's'were the least salt-tolerant among the 18 cultivars analyzed in the study.
or drinking said Kim a former postdoctoral researcher at the University of Wyoming. Because sharks are aquatic the oxygen from the ocean is constantly being exchanged with oxygen in their body water and that's
scientists sayif you've gone grocery shopping lately you've probably bought palm oil. Found in thousands of products from peanut butter
and packaged bread to shampoo and shaving cream palm oil is a booming multibillion-dollar industry. While it isn't always clearly labeled in supermarket staples the unintended consequences of producing this ubiquitous ingredient have been publicized widely.
The clearing of tropical forests to plant oil palm trees releases massive amounts of carbon dioxide a greenhouse gas fueling climate change.
and the University of Minnesota who warn of threats to freshwater streams that millions ofpeople depend on for drinking water food and livelihoods.
and pesticide application) and processing of oil palm fruits to make crude palm oil can all send sediment nutrients
Vegetation removal along stream banks destroys plant life that stream organisms depend on for sustenance and shade.
and food storage--had matured to where birth rates likely exceeded the highest in the world today the researchers write in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
which stone tools reflect an agricultural transition from cutting meat to pounding grain. It's the first step towards all the trappings of civilization that we currently see said Kohler.
if your reaction to certain foods has to do with oral allergy syndrome and possibly get you eating your favorite fruits and veggies again.
research showsscientists have found that eating almonds in your diet can reduce the risk of heart disease by keeping blood vessels healthy.
Researchers tested the effects of a short-term almond-enriched diet on healthy young and middle-aged men as well as on a group of young men with cardiovascular risk factors including having high blood pressure
At the end of the study period the group eating an almond-enriched diet had higher levels of antioxidants (alpha-tocopherol) in their blood stream improved blood flow
The team believes it is likely to be the combination of all these nutrients working together to create the overall health benefits rather than just one particular nutrient in isolation.
but our research proves that it isn't too late to introduce them into your diet--adding even a handful (around 50g) every day for a short period can help.
or add them to your regular meals like porridge or muesli to help reduce your risk of heart problems.
Story Source: The above story is provided based on materials by Aston University. Note: Materials may be edited for content and length.
and soluble sugar in plant tissues were thought to influence the resistance and resilience of trees positively during periods of drought this supposition had not been proven.
The results of their study are now available in an Open Access Article from the Journal of the American College of Nutrition the Official Publication of the American College of Nutrition
and vegetable juice powder concentrate capsules twice daily (Juice Plus+Â NSA Collierville TN). One group (FV) was given capsules containing a blend of fruit
Another group's capsules (FVB) contained the same ingredients with additional berry juice concentrate powder
and folate status. The beneficial effects of Juice Plus+Â supplementation could potentially help smokers
The large-scale acquisition of land by foreign governments and business--more commonly known as land grabbing--is a contentious issue particularly in Africa where a large number of deals have taken place in regions facing food security problems and malnutrition.
Others highlight the fact that any food grown is exported often to other regions and argue that such deals can strip local communities of their land water
In their study the researchers from the Politecnico di Milano Italy and University of Virginia US quantified the maximum amount of food that could be produced from crops grown on acquired lands
and the number of people that this could feed. They also compared the use of traditional farming techniques to industrialised agricultural methods to come up with the yield gap.
and then used the crop's food calories to determine the amount of people it could feed.
Taking into account the proportion of crops that can be used for food production as well as the amount needed for a balanced diet the results showed that between 300 and 550 million people could be fed by crops grown in the acquired land compared with between 190 and 370 million
Altogether these nations account for around 82 per cent of the total food calories that can be produced by acquired croplands worldwide.
Our study has provided a comprehensive assessment of the amount of food that can potentially be produced in land acquired by foreign investors in countries such as Sudan and Indonesia.
if this food were used to feed the local populations it would be sufficient to abate malnourishment in each of these countries even without investments aiming at the closure of the yield gap.
what happens to food produced? is shipped it abroad? Were these lands already used for agriculture prior to the acquisition and (if so) for the cultivation of what crops?
Answers to these questions would allow us to quantify the decrease in food available to the local communities
In Italy and Spain researchers focused on farms with permanent crops such as wine and olives and on small-scale subsistence farms in Uganda.
which is currently under grave threat researchers have identified complement organic farming methods with dedicated efforts to conserve habitats.
#Decoding characteristic food odorshow are we able to recognize foodstuffs like strawberries coffee barbecued meat or freshly boiled potatoes by smell alone?
Foodstuffs contain more than 10000 different volatile substances. But only around 230 of these determine the odor of the food we eat.
Narrowing it down further between just 3 and 40 of these key odors are responsible for encoding the typical smell of an individual foodstuff.
These compounds are decoded then by around 400 olfactory receptors in the nose. Scientists have presented these findings in chemistry journal Angewandte Chemie International.
Complementing the five basic tastes of sweet bitter salty sour and umami a large variety of odors also contribute to the overall sensory impression of a foodstuff.
In recent decades approximately 10000 volatile food compounds have been identified. Scientists from Technische Universitã¤t Mà nchen (TUM) and the German Research center for Food Chemistry (DFA have carried out a meta-analysis on the odorant patterns of 227 food samples.
How cognac gets its complex notesthey were surprised to find that the almost unlimited variety of food smells is based on 230 key odorants.
In addition each foodstuff has its own odor code comprised of a core group of between just 3 and 40 of the 230 key odorants--in specific concentrations.
These small groups of odorous substances are what give all kinds of foodstuffs--from pineapple to wine to roast meat--their unmistakable aromas.
So for example the smell of cultured butter is encoded by a combination of just 3 key molecules
but fresh strawberries have 12 explains Prof. Peter Schieberle from the TUM Chair of Food Chemistry.
Cognac is the most complex of all: the smell of this popular brandy is attributable to 36 key molecules.
Brain blends individual notes to create a new odor identitythe chemical odor codes are translated into olfactory stimulus patterns
when food is consumed. For this the key odorous substances have to interact with one or more of the 400 olfactory receptors in the nose.
A combination of between just few key odorants creates an authentic perception of odors. This is all the more surprising given that the olfactory quality of the combinations is determined not by the individual components says Prof.
Thomas Hofmann from the TUM Chair of Food Chemistry and Molecular Sensory Science. When people perceive external chemical odor patterns
and process them in the brain the individual odor components do not just add up. Rather the individual olfactory notes are translated into a new odor identity.
Optimizing odors in food productionso far scientists have identified 42 receptors that respond to food odors--with the majority binding multiple odor molecules.
By mapping the odorous substances of the 230 currently known key odors scientists can test which receptor combinations are reserved'for food odors explains Hofmann.
which use the potential of optimized biosynthetic pathways in plants for industrial-scale production of high-quality food odorants.
#Nutrition education program improves preschoolers at home consumption of vegetables, low-fat/fat-free milka nutrition education program in low-income child care centers can improve a child's at home consumption of vegetables and low-fat/fat-free milk according to a study by researchers
from RTI International Altarum Institute and the U s. Department of agriculture. The study was supported by the USDA's Food and Nutrition Service.
The study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is the first to examine
and find that a multicomponent nutrition-education program for low-income preschool-aged children and parents in a child care setting can affect a child's at home diet.
Many preschool-aged children are not meeting the recommended daily amount of fruits vegetables and low-fat and fat-free dairy products said Pam Williams Ph d. senior research scientist in RTI's Center for Communication Science
and co-author of the study. Our research shows the potential value of nutrition education programs that take place in child care centers to impact
what children eat at home. The USDA recommends that children two to five years of age eat one to two cups of vegetables daily and one to 1. 5 cups of fruit each day.
Nearly 60 percent of U s. children ages three to five years old attend a center-based child care program according to the U s. Department of education which can provide an opportunity to improve the nutrition of preschool-aged children.
Researchers found that children who participated in the nutrition-education program were about 39 percent more likely to drink
The study examined the State of New york's Eat Well Play Hard in Child care Settings nutrition-education program administered by registered dietitian nutritionists in low-income child care settings.
The initiative is part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program (SNAP) Education program aimed at increasing children's consumption of fruits
and vegetables and encouraging children to drink low-fat/fat-free milk. Researchers sampled 24 child care centers that serve low-income families
and receive reimbursement for meals and snacks served as part of the USDA's Child and Adult Care Food Program in New york. Twelve child care centers took part in an intervention consisting of multilevel messaging targeted to preschoolers parents and child care staff.
As part of the program registered dietitian nutritionists provided nutrition education to both children and parents during a six-to ten-week period.
Parents were asked to complete a mail or telephone survey at the beginning and end of the program to report their child's at home consumption of fruits vegetables and milk.
At the child care centers children participated in 30-minute nutrition education classes about trying new foods eating a variety of vegetables
and fruit using healthier diary products and eating healthier snacks. Nutritionists also provided training sessions to child care center staff about identifying areas of policy needed to improve nutrition at the center and how to incorporate messages about nutrition into the classroom.
While children's vegetable and low-fat/fat-free milk consumption improved the study found that the program did not have a significant impact on parental offerings of fruits
#Peanuts dont panic parents as much as milk and eggsit's tough being the parent of a child with food allergies.
when a single food item containing a hidden ingredient can be fatal. Although worry is a factor for anyone caring for a child with food allergies according to a study published in the July issue of Annals of Allergy Asthma
and Immunology the scientific publication of the American College of Allergy Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) there is increased anxiety and strain for caregivers of children allergic to milk and eggs.
The study examined 305 caregivers of children allergic to milk egg peanut or tree nut--the 4 most common food allergies.
The caregivers were asked about details of the children's most severe food reaction as well as information about the caregiver's quality of life.
Researchers found caregivers who understood their child's reaction to offending foods had a higher quality of life.
If they knew exactly what foods could give their child an allergic reaction they were less likely to be stressed anxious
and. The authors were surprised to learn that milk and egg allergies were the most worrisome for caregivers.
It's assumed peanut and tree allergies are the most severe and therefore it may be presumed they would cause the most strain for caregivers said allergist Laura Howe MD lead study author and ACAAI member.
But because eggs and milk are used everywhere and to prepare so many dishes caregivers with children allergic to those two ingredients feel more worried and anxious.
Only 64 percent of caregivers accurately perceived the severity of their child's reaction. More than 15 percent over-perceived their child's reaction severity
and 19 percent under-perceived the reaction severity. Caregivers had significant concerns regarding their ability to help in the event of a reaction
and also that others wouldn't understand the seriousness of their child's food allergy.
It is important for those who care for food-allergic children to work with an allergist to determine exactly what foods their child is allergic to
and how to respond in an emergency situation said allergist Michael Foggs MD ACAAI president.
in case their child eats a food they shouldn't. Children with a history of severe allergic reactions
Compared to corn soy and palm oil the rapid growth rate of sugar cane has put it at the forefront of biofuel crops.
The challenge for Brazil lies in identifying optimal lands for expanding sugarcane while still meeting demands for food crops and conserving native forests and savannas.
In contrast converting already cleared pastures to sugar cane production provides a nearly immediate carbon payback
With over 2. 5 million square kilometers of existing cleared lands in Brazil much of which is degraded pasture lands there is already a large potential area for biofuel crop expansion.
which includes using degraded pastures for a combination of reforestation expansion of biofuel and food crops and intensification of cattle production.
In agreement with their Brazilian colleagues Macedo and Davidson conclude that Brazil can meet today's demands for food fiber feed
#Vegetarian diets produce fewer greenhouse gases and increase longevity, say new studiesconsuming a plant-based diet results in a more sustainable environment
A study and an article produced by researchers at Loma Linda University School of Public health will be published in full in the July issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
and were presented first at the 6th International Congress on Vegetarian Nutrition in 2013. Based on findings that identified food systems as a significant contributor to global warming the study focuses on the dietary patterns of vegetarians semi-vegetarians
and non-vegetarians to quantify and compare greenhouse gas emissions as well as assess total mortality. The mortality rate for non-vegetarians was almost 20 percent higher than that for vegetarians and semi-vegetarians.
On top of lower mortality rates switching from non-vegetarian diets to vegetarian diets or even semi-vegetarian diets also helps reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The vegetarian diets resulted in almost a third less emissions compared to the non-vegetarian diets.
Modifying the consumption of animal-based foods can therefore be a feasible and effective tool for climate change mitigation and public health improvements the study concluded.
The takeaway message is that relatively small reductions in the consumption of animal products result in non-trivial environmental benefits
and health benefits said Sam Soret Ph d. MPH associate dean at Loma Linda University School of Public health
The level of detail we have on food consumption and health outcomes at the individual level makes these findings unprecedented Soret said.
To our knowledge no studies have used yet a single non-simulated data set to independently assess the climate change mitigation potential and actual health outcomes for the same dietary patterns said Joan Sabate MD
Drph nutrition professor at Loma Linda University School of Public health and co-author of the studies.
The accompanying article makes the case for returning to a large-scale practice of plant-based diets in light of the substantial and detrimental environmental impacts caused by the current trend of eating diets rich in animal products.
Making a switch to plant-based foods will increase food security and sustainability thereby avoiding otherwise disastrous consequences.
Both papers demonstrate that the production of food for human consumption causes significant emissions of greenhouse gases
and compare the environmental impacts of producing foods consumed by vegetarians and non-vegetarians. Sabate noted that the results emphasize the need to reassess people's nutritional practices in light of environmental challenges and worldwide population growth.
or choice large segments of the world's population have thrived on plant-based diets Sabate said.
The School of Public health at Loma Linda University has a keen interest in studying environmental nutrition
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